To think there's nothing wrong with early mat leave?

[bluesign]

I'm starting mine at 34 weeks. Well technically I'll be using up annual leave before it officially starts at 37 weeks but have had a few raised eyebrows from colleagues saying it's early! It's not really though is it?

It seems the expectation amongst people at my company is to work as long as possible before the baby is due. I understand some people prefer to do this, but I can think of nothing worse than working up to 38-39 weeks. Why should I struggle through the last few weeks if I don't have to?

I can think of nothing better than doing absolutely as little as possible before baby comes.

34 weeks isn't early is it?

Who cares what people think.

People hate it when women exercise their right. I got asked “How is your year off going?” in a very PA way. That’s

It just means you have less time at the other end, but you may not think that’s a problem- everyone is different.

I was self employed when I had both of mine (perhaps foolishly!) and I worked quite late because I wouldn’t have been paid otherwise, except for MA which isn’t a lot.

Your uterus - your rules

Fuck em

Plenty of countries where starting 34 weeks is the standard legal requirement so no it isn't early

I definitely noticed a bit of competitive ‘I worked up till 39 weeks/ 40 weeks’ in my office and amongst friends 🙄. I went early as I could with both, obviously you have to get the balance right as it takes away from mat leave at the other side, but I think 34 weeks is sensible! I actually only ended up with a weeks mat leave before they were born both times as my dc like to come early

I finished at 34 weeks with my first as I was really sick- however it was a long boring 8 weeks before DC came along. I've always regretted it as it then felt too soon when I had to go back after. Worked until 37 weeks with the other two - was happy to have a couple of weeks off with younger DC those times whilst awaiting the birth.

The annual leave thing depends when your annual leave year runs from. When I last had maternity leave our annual leave was the financial year, April to April, not the calendar year. I had a baby in March so I used up annual leave to go early and then had a whole leave year to accrue more before I got back. Sounds like the OP is in a similar situation.

I couldn't carry leave over, so I really wasn't making myself go back earlier. And I'm very glad I did it as I ended up giving birth at 38 weeks.

You asked, so I’ll say that I think it’s early at 34 weeks, but it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. I’m 36 weeks and finishing this week. Baby is coming at 38 weeks.

Each to their own, it’s not weird either way. I felt the best I had in the last months and would have been bored at home, I also wanted maximum time with the baby so it suited me. I worked until the day I went into labour and unless I had a difficult pregnancy I would choose to do that again.

I stopped work at 36 weeks with DC1. Those 4 weeks were, quite honestly, possibly the best 4 consecutive weeks of my life. I worked in a very busy, high stress environment with a long commute and by then it was killing me, especially as I didn't sleep in pregnancy.

Having some time to potter around, rest, relax etc was just amazing and I think back very fondly to that time.

With DC2 I was self employed so worked right up until I was induced pretty much, albeit at a slightly lower level.

I know which one I preferred.

I chose my leave date as 38 weeks when I was 30 weeks. I felt like it would be easy to get through till then. But by 35 weeks I realised I'd made a mistake and really struggled. 34 would have been ideal

It's not early at all.

What I may consider is taking sick leave if you feel unable to work due to the pregnancy (back ace, fatigue, headaches etc.) and save the maternity leave to spend more time with your baby

That is if it's possible. Where I live it is very easy to get signed off and my employers sick policy is far more generous then maternity

I was in agony with spd pain and was so ready to go on mat leave. People love to tell me how amazing they are for working up to their due date and how they have maximised the time they spent with their baby. My children seem to be doing very well after such neglect on my part.

Most places have some form of policy that your maternity leave automatically kicks in if you have time of sick within 4 weeks of due date (so 36 weeks)

I went off at 35w, used 3 weeks of holiday (I’d accrued a lot because it was lockdown) and then went off on ML at 38w. It was a bit dull - Summer of 2020 and all! - but I really needed that downtime before baby arrived. DC arrived at 40+3.

I remember thinking it was the only time since Uni that I would have 5 weeks to do nothing and I long for it now I have a 1yo and a 3yo! Roll on retirement - just 30 years to go…

Legally they do have to let you roll it over but I had 3 weeks before baby arrived and then used my next years allocation to have a further 3 weeks before return.

Fair enough. I'm not in the UK and here sick (up to giving birth), maternity (immediate aftermath of giving birth, but can be taken sooner) and parental leave (after x weeks up to 18 months) are all seperate.

26 weeks - I was commuting on the train to London and in pain with Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. Couldn’t do any more!

It sounds great to me! My maternity leave didn't start until I was 38 weeks. I was assuming I would go to full term and was looking forward to a couple of quiet weeks before the baby arrived. The baby had other ideas though, and arrived at 36 weeks, so I did literally work up until the day before they were born.

Excellent reply. Nails it.

I think it's about how well you feel and also how much leave you want to take- I went at 37 weeks with holiday (baby by section due to breech at 39+1) but had so much leave I took the year and two and half months holiday meaning I had 15 months off which was lovely. My next baby is due July and hope to take from July until the following September off as well.

I think I was about 35 weeks with mine, prob a mix of annual leave too. As it was both were early so I didn't get a huge amount of time in-between. 2nd was covid so I ended up finishing work and home schooling so def not a break!
I would prefer people start earlier. We have so many putting to start right at due date and then baby comes a bit early so we have to amend their maternity leave!

Why would there be anything wrong with it?! Entirely your decision 😂

Whoops I meant a smiley face not a laughing face! 😊

5 babies and always had to finish up sooner. With babies 1,2 and 3 I worked in an acute psychiatric ward with piss poor staffing and was in crutches with SPD so finished at around 34 weeks on annual leave then mat leave from 37 weeks. With baby no.4 I was on special leave from week 28 due to lockdown. With baby no.5 I intended to work until 37/38 weeks but ended up with issues with my heart rate and SPD again so went off from about week 34 on annual leave.

I always hate finishing sooner as I feel like I’m taking the time away from when the baby is here but it’s always been unavoidable for me.